Kusarigama
Thursday I had an interisting experince. I fought
against a "chain and sickle" or Kusarigama.
My buddie the Nip-o-phile is pretty good with a chain
and sickle, and I came on with sheild and sword, and
later sword and buckler. I found the main problem was
closing though his weighted rope (Which would be a
chain with a very small metal ball in RL.) The practice
weight is a rice filled sack.
All weapons were wood with slight foam pads, or
otherwise soft enough to hit well without hurting
without dramatically changing performance. He's got
more experience at most MAs then I do, so I was at a
basic experince disadvantage.
A lot of the time he could whack me with the weight,
but much of the time it landed in a way that would
hurt with a real weight, but not disable He was going
for my spine or skull mind you, and these are the only
place a weight of this size could be leathal. I do
however suspect leg shots might be effective bone
breakers, but he wasn't using them too much, and when
he did he usually entanged, but never both legs. If he
did, I would charge too fast for him to keep the thing
tight. Pulling your foot around wasn't possible with
the practise rope.
Some of the time I could knock the weight out of the
air with my sheild, and then close before he could get
it up again. I think this might have been a good bit
easier with a kite shield, or but perhaps not. Only a
couple of times did he manage to entangle me at all
with it, which was mostly on my shield side. He's used
to doing this on Katana guys where both arms are sword
arms, and never got around to trying to swing the
chain the other way to get my swordarm. (I didn't
bother to point this out. ;) )
Other times I would charge when the weight was passing
by, and whilst I would get it around me, I wouldn't
get really entangled, and I was closeing fast enought
that he couldn't tighten it and thereby gain
advantage.
Once I closed, his technique was to try to hook my
sword with the kama, and try to run it down my arm.
Hooking me was easy for him, as I was mosting doing
thrusts for range, whilst pursueing him as he backed
up. Neither of us really used proper footwork as he
backed up as fast as he could and I came on as fast as
I could, but his arm work in the hooking was
excellent, and next time I face him I will through
more low blows. (I avoided this on this occasion as he
was not wearing a cup.)
If you close with a chain and sickle, I very much
recommend low cuts, and to be aware that the Kama is
often held in the left hand, with the chain in the
right. It's much like facing a left handed hatchet man
with no sheild. So pepper his right side, which means
rising cuts from your left if you can manage them
whilst closing on a rapidly backing up opponete. I
couldn't, and mostly went for stabs, but I'm sure I
will with more practise. Be aware the kama can also be
swung on the other end of the rope/chain.
In theory, the weighted end may also be barbed. So if
you get the least bt entangled in one of these things,
close as fast as you can and take a leg off, and
strike as far from the kama as you can whilst watching
out for it coming out to meet you. You don't want him
pulling the thing across you, as the barbs could open
you up. Still, I don't think the barbs would be
immediately disabling anywhere except the neck, and I
'believe' you would still have time to close in and
leg the chain and sickle guy.
If you are wearing armor, don't give the chain a
second thought, charge straight in. With a solid
helmet the only worry is being tripped or getting your
sword arm caught before closing.
Anyone else have any experince against these things?
To abandon your shield is the basest of crimes. - --Tacitus on Germania
against a "chain and sickle" or Kusarigama.
My buddie the Nip-o-phile is pretty good with a chain
and sickle, and I came on with sheild and sword, and
later sword and buckler. I found the main problem was
closing though his weighted rope (Which would be a
chain with a very small metal ball in RL.) The practice
weight is a rice filled sack.
All weapons were wood with slight foam pads, or
otherwise soft enough to hit well without hurting
without dramatically changing performance. He's got
more experience at most MAs then I do, so I was at a
basic experince disadvantage.
A lot of the time he could whack me with the weight,
but much of the time it landed in a way that would
hurt with a real weight, but not disable He was going
for my spine or skull mind you, and these are the only
place a weight of this size could be leathal. I do
however suspect leg shots might be effective bone
breakers, but he wasn't using them too much, and when
he did he usually entanged, but never both legs. If he
did, I would charge too fast for him to keep the thing
tight. Pulling your foot around wasn't possible with
the practise rope.
Some of the time I could knock the weight out of the
air with my sheild, and then close before he could get
it up again. I think this might have been a good bit
easier with a kite shield, or but perhaps not. Only a
couple of times did he manage to entangle me at all
with it, which was mostly on my shield side. He's used
to doing this on Katana guys where both arms are sword
arms, and never got around to trying to swing the
chain the other way to get my swordarm. (I didn't
bother to point this out. ;) )
Other times I would charge when the weight was passing
by, and whilst I would get it around me, I wouldn't
get really entangled, and I was closeing fast enought
that he couldn't tighten it and thereby gain
advantage.
Once I closed, his technique was to try to hook my
sword with the kama, and try to run it down my arm.
Hooking me was easy for him, as I was mosting doing
thrusts for range, whilst pursueing him as he backed
up. Neither of us really used proper footwork as he
backed up as fast as he could and I came on as fast as
I could, but his arm work in the hooking was
excellent, and next time I face him I will through
more low blows. (I avoided this on this occasion as he
was not wearing a cup.)
If you close with a chain and sickle, I very much
recommend low cuts, and to be aware that the Kama is
often held in the left hand, with the chain in the
right. It's much like facing a left handed hatchet man
with no sheild. So pepper his right side, which means
rising cuts from your left if you can manage them
whilst closing on a rapidly backing up opponete. I
couldn't, and mostly went for stabs, but I'm sure I
will with more practise. Be aware the kama can also be
swung on the other end of the rope/chain.
In theory, the weighted end may also be barbed. So if
you get the least bt entangled in one of these things,
close as fast as you can and take a leg off, and
strike as far from the kama as you can whilst watching
out for it coming out to meet you. You don't want him
pulling the thing across you, as the barbs could open
you up. Still, I don't think the barbs would be
immediately disabling anywhere except the neck, and I
'believe' you would still have time to close in and
leg the chain and sickle guy.
If you are wearing armor, don't give the chain a
second thought, charge straight in. With a solid
helmet the only worry is being tripped or getting your
sword arm caught before closing.
Anyone else have any experince against these things?
To abandon your shield is the basest of crimes. - --Tacitus on Germania